Stuck
by luvscharlie
Summary: Charlie Weasley and Neville Longbottom become the unfortunate guinea pigs of the Weasley Twins' new invention. AU in that Fred Weasley lives. Charlie/Neville, Charlie/Tonks


_Stuck_ by Luvscharlie

"Hm," said Fred, taking up his parchment and quill and jotting down notes as he and George surveyed the doorway of the Hogsmeade branch of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. "Well, I can't say we didn't see this coming."

"It worked just as we suspected it would," George agreed.

Charlie looked at Neville. They couldn't move forward and they couldn't move back. They were both stuck there in the doorway, and Charlie was growing angrier by the second. "One of you," he said, glaring at his twin brothers, "had best tell me what's what before my temper gets the better of me."

Fred pointed up and Charlie and Neville, in unison, turned their faces to see that they were beneath an odd, pink-coloured sprig of what appeared to be mistletoe. George was eager to explain their new creation. "We haven't worked out all the kinks yet."

"You're kidding," Charlie said sarcastically. "Might that be why I'm stuck in your doorway with my arse growing colder by the second?"

George ignored the sarcastic comment and continued on animatedly. "You see, it'll look like normal mistletoe when we're done. We still can't figure out why it turns bright pink every time we add the Amortentia—but anyway, we call it _Trap Him Under the Mistletoe_."

Fred picked up where George left off. "As you might well imagine, it's designed to be hung in the doorway of the lovely witch who purchases it, then all that's left for her to do is lure the wizard of her choice beneath it with her, and neither of them can move until they kiss. Brilliant, wouldn't you agree?"

"I might not be the most objective person to ask at the moment," Charlie said through gritted teeth with his fists clenched at his sides. "May I point out that it's not exactly a female I'm 'trapped' with beneath this insane concoction."

"And that, dear brother, is the brilliance of it," said Fred.

"You have about two seconds to explain. It is going to be bad for business if the two of us block your door for the remainder of your lives, which are going to be shorter by a considerable amount if you don't start talking now." Charlie crossed his arms over his chest.

"You see," George chimed in, "we had planned to market this as part our Wonder Witch line."

"But thanks to this little experiment, we now realise it has far greater potential. We can market it to wizards who prefer something a bit less feminine, if you know what I mean."

"So I have to kiss your friend here or remain in your doorway for the remainder of my life… or yours if you happen too close?" Charlie asked.

"Well…" George said taking a step back.

"No way! I don't snog blokes. Forget it." He looked at Neville. "No offense."

"None taken," Neville, who had remained silent up to this point, replied in a meek voice.

"I think we'll just leave the two of you to work this out amongst yourselves," Fred said, and before Charlie could react (though there was admittedly little he could do about it) his brothers Disapparated.

"I'm going to wring their bloody necks when I get hold of them!" Charlie said words that would have made his mother reach for the nearest bar of soap.

"Well, perhaps this would work," Neville said, leaning forward and planting a kiss on Charlie's cheek.

"Good idea," Charlie said. They both attempted to move; neither went anywhere. "I guess we should have known it wouldn't be that simple, huh?" Charlie shook his head in disgust.

"Probably wouldn't help sales if it was," Neville said, reaching forward a hand in greeting. "Neville Longbottom."

Charlie took the timid, young man's hand and shook it. "Forgive my lapse in manners. Charlie Weasley."

"Given the circumstances," Neville said, "even my Gran, who is a real stickler for regarding the niceties, mind you, would be understanding. So, should we just get this over with?" Before Charlie knew what was happening, Neville's lips were firmly pressed against his and the spell was broken.

"Is that the way you woo the ladies?" Charlie asked with a grin.

Neville's face turned red. "Well, I figured it was best if you didn't have to think about it. I can't say I've had a lot of experience in that area myself."

"Good thing," Charlie said. "If you'd tried that with a witch, you'd likely be rolling about on the ground clutching your bollocks and crying right now."

"Sounds like that advice comes from experience," Neville said.

Memories of a certain pink-haired Auror, with a wicked left knee that was generally spot on when aimed in his direction, came to the forefront of Charlie's mind, as they seemed to do more and more these days. It seemed the harder he tried to elude the memories of the days he'd spent with Tonks, or worse the time after when he'd been foolish enough to lose her, the more frequently they came to haunt his dreams and thoughts.

His family had survived the war intact, if a bit the worse for wear. Charlie only wished he could say the same for his heart. It had shattered when he'd walked into the Great Hall to see her lying beside Remus. She was so still in death. All the vibrance of a life lost too soon gone from her.

He had lost Tonks long ago, but there'd never be a time she didn't own him. For him, she was the bright pink bauble hanging in the doorway of his heart. She held him fixed, never able to move forward, ever longing to go back.

Fin.

_A/N: Advent Drabble 10/31 with a prompt of Mistletoe. _


End file.
